Relics of the Revolution
by itsanauthorthing
Summary: My old one-shots from the height of the HiJack revolution. Titles such as The "Utterly Depressing Swing Set" and never before seen titles like "Speech and Debate and Fake Boyfriends".
1. The Utterly Depressing Swing Set

**The Utterly Depressing Swing Set**

 _(Best if listening to; "What You Wanted" by OneRepublic)_

* * *

"I believe that you can tell a lot about a person not by their story, but by how they tell it."

* * *

The sky was a dull gray the clouds were threatening rain, but anyone could see that it was an empty threat. I decided to call Hiccup because I was depressed and trying really hard to think positive thoughts. Like you're living with cancer not dying from it, it could be worse, the universe was kind enough to let me live for a few more years, and other such pleasant thoughts. Hiccup was the just about the only thing that could make me feel better. He picked up on the third ring.

"Hi," I said quietly.

"Frosty," he said with his usual snark.

"Hi," I couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Are you crying?" He sounded worried now.

"Sort of."

"Why?"

"It's just, I want you to go to Berk and visit your family but I also don't want to let you go without me. And I want to take up your offer and go to Amsterdam and meet our second favorite author. But this whole cancer thing is making travel arrangements hard, and the sky is so boring and dull and grey today. Also there's this old swing set my sister and I used to love, that's utterly depressing in every possible way."

"...I want to see this utterly depressing swing set, I'll be over in ten minutes," and with that he hung up.

I stayed in the back yard because I didn't want to show mom how upset I was, I hardly ever cry and my mom would think there was something seriously wrong if she saw me like this, and I just couldn't bring myself to make her worry over nothing.

I could remember pushing my little sister on the swings, her screaming _higher, higher, higher_ the whole time. We would used to try to grab the leaves hanging in front of the swings. Sometimes we would lay on our stomachs and pretend we were flying. Now it was just sitting there, the ghosts of the past staring at me while the two swings sat still. I might have excepted the ghosts' invitation to swing, if I wasn't positive I would break it.

Hiccup walked up next to me, I turned my head wiping my eyes with the back of my hand, "Hey," I whispered so my voice wouldn't crack.

He had quite a time making it to the ground. "Hey," he said when he finally got there. He looked straight ahead at the swing set. "I can see your point, that is one utterly depressing swing set."

I moved a little closer to him. "Thanks for coming over."

"You do realize that doing stuff like this isn't helping your whole "stay away from him to make his affections disappear" thing." Hiccup put on a mocking town but his eyes were sad.

"I know." But what else could I do to make it easier for him to forget me?

"All efforts to protect me from you are pointless, it's too late." It was like he could read my thoughts.

"Don't say that." I said pleading with him now.

"It is, I'm invested in you now, completely." He wasn't invested in me as much as I was invested in him.

"Why do you even like me?"

"Why do you like me?" He countered.

There were many reasons as to why I liked Hugo Haddock, his eyes for example, his caring personality, how smart he was, how he never thought I was dumb or childish, and always took the time to look through the cracks in my walls he had caused to make sure I was still okay. "That's not an answer," was all I said.

He didn't say anything, he just put his hand over mine, looking at the swing set again he said: "We have to do something about that swing set, it's ninety-two percent of the problem, by my calculations."

With a bit of effort he pulled me up and we went inside, sitting on the couch the laptop resting half on his leg and half on mine. He loaded a web site where you could give away stuff for free, together we wrote the add.

"Headline?" I asked.

"'Swing Set Needs Home,'" Hiccup recommended.

"'Desperately Lonely Swing Set Needs Loving Home,'" I suggested.

"'Lonely, Vaguely Pedophilic, Swing Set Seeks the Butts of Children,'" He offered.

"That's why," I said quietly.

"What?"

"That's why I like you. It's rare to find a cute boy who creates an adjectival version of the word pedophile _._ You are completely revolutionary, a novelty."

He blushed. "And that's why I like you, most people wouldn't even know that pedophilic isn't even a word, or use the word _adjectival_ correctly in a sentence. _You_ are unparalleled."

* * *

 **A little side info:**

Why yes this is based off of _The Fault In Our Stars._ (This will be the only TFIOS thing I ever do.)

Hugo "Hiccup" Haddock stage two leukemia forty-six percent chance of living at least five years.

Jackson "Jack" Overland stage three non-Hodgkin lymphoma sixty-three percent chance of living at least five years.


	2. Braces

**Braces**

Jack was not happy. Today was the day he was getting his braces put on. His tongue poked at one of the spacers jammed between his teeth. He really wasn't looking forward to this. He shuffled into the orthodontists office behind his adoptive father, North.

"It will be fine, Jack." North said trying to comfort the boy.

"Yeah sure," he said.

* * *

An uncomfortable hour and a half later, Jack stood behind his father as he talked to the receptionist. The door opened again and a burly red haired man with an impressive beard walked in. He was as big a North was! Behind him was a tiny boy with auburn colored haired, wearing a green long-sleeved shirt and jeans.

The man went to sit in the waiting area while the boy walked up to check in. Jack peeked at the name, Hiccup Haddock. Weird name, but who was he to judge? His last name was Frost!

The boy turned around, his eyes were a deep and beautiful green, Jack found himself at a loss for words.

"Hey," the boy, Hiccup, said.

"Uh, hi," Jack said finding it really hard to stay focus and form sentences. And then Hiccup smiled.

His smile like, his teeth, was crooked and absolutely adorable. His braces had green and blue bands, the blue was the same as Jack's.

"Just got them today?"

"What?" Jack breathed completely lost.

"Your braces, did you just get them today?"

"Uh, yeah actually."

"I could tell, you'll get used to them, then they only hurt after you get them tightened."

"How long have you had braces?"

"A year and a half." He answered. Being the expert on the subject Jack decided to listen to him rather than the boys at school, they had told him they hurt all the time.

"How old are you?" Jack asked, he was pretty small, most likely twelve or...

"Fourteen." He was a whole year older than Jack, and yet Jack was taller than him. "How old are you?"

"Thirteen. But I'll be fourteen in a month." He loved having a December birthday it was like double the presents.

"Cool," Hiccup said.

"Hiccup?" Called the nurse. With a little wave Hiccup headed to the back.

* * *

The next time he saw Hiccup Haddock was three months later. The orthodontist was seeing someone who had broken their bracket and needed immediate attention. Hiccup was sitting on the little window bench, looking out at the flower bed in the back of the office.

"Hi!" Hiccup looked up at Jack. He smiled his crooked smile, his bands were red this time.

"Hey, I never got your name last time." Jack was surprised to find that the boy remembered him, but Jack hadn't forgotten the boy with the strange name either so maybe it wasn't that far of a stretch.

"It's Jack."

"Well hi Jack, I'm Hiccup." Hiccup held out his hand, Jack accepted the handshake. Hiccup's hands were calloused and small, but warm.

"Is that your real name?" Jack asked incredulously.

"Yeah, my family descends from vikings. It's tradition to name the runt Hiccup."

"I don't think you're a runt."

"I'm the smallest in my family."

"Well I think it's cute." Hiccup blushed.

A plump boy with blonde hair came out into the lobby holding his cheek. "Be more careful next time," the orthodontist called out. "Alright Hiccup come on back."

"Bye," Hiccup said giving a little wave as he walked away.

* * *

It took only two months for Jack to see Hiccup again.

The office was swamped and the all appointments moved back an hour (or you had to be rescheduled completely). Hiccup's dad, the giant red head, had a meeting to go to so he had left Hiccup there. He was sitting on the window bench like last time, pretending to read a magazine. Jack left North at the front desk to sort everything out.

Jack sat next to Hiccup. "What are you doing?" He asked noting that the magazine was upside down.

"People watching." Jack nodded. They sat and watched the people in silence for a while.

"You know I feel like we're friends but the truth is I don't know anything about you."

"You're right, I guess I could start at the beginning we're going to be here awhile anyway." Jack was surprised he hadn't expected the boy to be so willing to give out information.

"Well my mother died when I was eight in a car crash. I lost my leg that day..."

And so it went on for an hour. Jack learned that Hiccup felt like he was disappointing his dad because he was too clumsy and small to play sports. He looked more like his mother and he was a total nerd. He read comic books and loved dragons. The only thing he had of his mother was a stuffed dragon, named Toothless, she had made him before he was born. He was born in a town called Berk that was in Norway. His dad had moved them to America, it had been his mother's dying wish, to see her son in the land of freedom and apple pie, at least that's what Hiccup said. He went to a small charter school rather than the public school that Jack went to. Hiccup wanted to pursue a career in engineering and was the smartest and smallest kid in his class.

Jack told Hiccup about being an orphan and how he couldn't remember his parents but he did remember that he had a sister. She had been adopted before Jack. North had adopted Jack, who came from Russia and looked like Santa Claus. For friends he had a nonbinary mute named Sandy, a colorful girl named Ana, and an Australian pen pal. Jack went to public school where he was almost completely invisible. He liked anime and wanted to try cosplaying someday, but wasn't sure how to start or who to start with.

Before they knew it the hour was up and they were taken into separate rooms to have their braces tightened.

* * *

It was six months before Jack actually saw Hiccup again. They never planned their appointments together so it was always hit and miss. Jack was sure Hiccup would have forgotten him by now, it had, after all almost been a year since they had met. "Hey, Hiccup!" Jack's worry became reality as he saw confusion cloud Hiccup's beautiful green eyes.

"Jack?" He looked older now, he was taller but he still looked tiny. But maybe that's just because Jack got taller too.

"Yeah it's me."

"Your hair..." Hiccup said staring at the top of Jack's head.

"What?"

"It's white." Hiccup stated.

"Oh yeah! I got so used to it I forgot you've never seen it."

"Well it think it's cool."

"I did it for a cosplay."

"So you finally got into that?"

"Yeah and it's as much fun as I thought it would be!"

"That's really great, I'm glad."

Then something occurred to Jack. "Hey I'm getting my braces off today!"

"That's awesome Jack!"

"So uh, I feel like I'm never going to see you again. Can I...can I have your number?" Jack asked nervous.

"Yeah sure," they pulled out their phones and exchanged numbers.

* * *

It was three years before they saw each other again.

"Jack!" Jack whipped his head around trying to see who was calling out to him. Suddenly he felt someone hug him from behind.

"Hey I haven't seen you in forever!" It was Hiccup, the boy who was always on Jack's mind, the boy who had always been attractive. And now even more so.

He was taller than Jack by three inches or so, and lean but muscular. His hair was longer but still auburn. He was wearing a rainbow head band and an ace pride tank top, which wasn't odd seeing as it was a gay pride festival they were at. Jack had a pansexual pride tank top and wrist bands.

"Hey, I never thought I would see you again," Jack said. In three years they had lost touch, phones and numbers changed. People did too, but Hiccup seemed the same if a little more forward, but that could've been the setting.

"It's great to see you! I see your still rocking the white hair."

"Yeah actually I kinda grew attached to it." The two laughed together.

They enjoyed pride together for the whole week, catching up. Hiccup while looking adorable in braces looked even better without them. He had gotten them off just in time for senior year, and he was now attending college at Cooper Union in New York. Jack was attending Dartmouth in New Hampshire.

* * *

They stayed in touch this time but they didn't see each other again until after Jack graduated from college. Jack had received an invitation to Hiccup's graduation but he couldn't make it. Hiccup, however, made it to Jack's.

They spent the week together living in the apartment Jack had been renting for his senior year, he had gotten fed up with the dorms. They decided to move in together and it wasn't long before they started dating.

"You know I had a crush on you the second time we met." Hiccup said one night as they were driving home from the cinema.

"I loved you the second I saw you."

"Nuh uh."

"Okay fine, I did get a crush on you the first time we met though."

"Really?"

"Yeah I never stopped thinking about you, and whoever I dated, which was like two people, it never felt as right as it does with you."

"I never dated anyone, I think it was because I knew I could never love them as much as I love you."

"...Well I think we're tied."

"No way I get bonus points for being sappy."

They we're having one of their "who's a better boyfriend" contests. "But I get bonus points for love at first sight."

"Yeah but that's more cliche than romantic."

Jack stuck his tongue out at Hiccup.

* * *

It had been a day since he saw him. Astrid, Hiccup's best friend, had been adamant about the whole "no seeing the bride before the wedding it's bad luck" thing.

Jack was dressed in a simple black tux with a green bow tie that matched Hiccup's eyes. Hiccup was wearing a tux virtually identical to Jack's but he had a blue bow tie, to match Jack's eyes. They had decided to both walk down the isle with their fathers separated by their harbingers of wedding cheer.

The flower girl which was Jack's sister's daughter went first. Followed by Sandy, Ana, and Aster. Jack followed his friends out, escorted by North. Then came Astrid and Finny (or Fishlegs). Then came Hiccup and Stoick.

Jack grabbed Hiccup's hands and looked directly into those green eyes he had fallen for in the first place. While they had changed over the years one thing could never change, their love for each other.


	3. Louder

**Louder**

* * *

Based of the song "Louder" by Charice.

* * *

Jack sighed staring out his window the rain pouring down as was a constant for Berk. He watched the lanky figure of Hiccup, Hiccup was Jack's best friend and his secret crush. Jack didn't understand all these feelings, but he liked them. He liked the weird fluttery feeling Hiccup gave him. He liked the boy's sarcasm, his hair, his smile, his kindness, and his tendency to take a leadership roll. He liked Hiccup, everything about him was adorable and wonderful. But rational thought and fear kept stopping Jack from telling Hiccup.

"You know what? I'm just gonna run right through the rain, going to let my heart take over my head and tell him. Yep that's it I'm gonna do it." Jack stood up from his seat by the window then sat back down.

"Oh who am I kidding I can't do this. Maybe I'm over-thinking this. I could just go ask if you wanted to hang out more this weekend, no need to specify that it's a date right?"

Jack got up again and rushed to the front door, throwing it open he began running through the rain. "Hiccup!" Jack called as he caught Hiccup at the end of his street.

"What's up Jack, did I forget something again?"

"No I just wanted to ask you..."

"Ask me what?" Hiccup said when Jack wouldn't finish his thought.

He was gonna do it, feel the rhythm of his heart, which was beating like a drum, he was gonna let his heart speak louder than his head. Instead of saying anything he pulled Hiccup in for a kiss.

For a moment Jack thought he had screwed up and that he should retreat. But then he felt Hiccup kiss him back, he felt arms wrap around his neck as he wound his own around Hiccup's waist. He had done it he had let his heart speak louder than his head, and it had worked. Jack pulled away laughing he grabbed Hiccups hands and they danced in the rain.


	4. For the Dancing and The Dreaming

**"For the Dancing and the Dreaming"**

"Cold clammy hands rested over my eyes, and a soft voice spoke in my ear directing me. "Okay two more steps forward, and we're here." And with that the hands lifted away revealing a beautiful meadow with a rather large lake surrounded by small cliffs; our place.

"The owner of the hands, my boyfriend of seven years, smiled nervously at me. "Jack what's up?" Nervous wasn't like Jack, Jack was fun and spontaneous, not nervous.

"Okay so you know how we've been dating a really long time?"

"What no. I thought I was dating someone else?!" Hiccup snarked. But with one worried look from Jack, Hiccup knocked it off. "Sorry go on."

"Well uh I prepared a little something for you today." He cleared his throat before he began singing. "I'll sail and swim on savage seas with ne'er a fear of drowning. " Hiccup gasped, he had only mentioned this song once or twice to Jack. It was his parents' song. "And gladly ride the waves of life if you will marry me. No scorching sun nor freezing cold will stop me on my journey. If you will promise me your heart and love me for eternity." Jack paused and Hiccup picked up where he left off.

"My dearest one my darling dear your mighty words astound me, but I've no need for mighty deeds when I feel your arms around me." Hiccup sang a little shakily.

"But I would bring you rings of gold! I'd even sing you poetry. And I will keep you from all harm if you will stay beside me." Jack sang back with more confidence.

"I have no use for rings of gold I care not for your poetry. I only want your hand to hold." Hiccup sang, no longer shaky.

"I only want you near me. To love to kiss to sweetly hold. For the dancing and the dreaming." They sang together laughing happily.

* * *

"Through all of life's sorrows and delights I'll keep your love beside me." Jack said looking into the eyes of his beloved.

"I'll swim and sail on savage seas with ne'er a fear of drowning and gladly ride the waves of life with you." Hiccup said smiling as he looked deep into the eyes of his love.

"Do you Jack take Hiccup to be you're legally wedded husband?" The preacher asked.

"I do indeed."

"And do you Hiccup take Jack to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"Yes, yes I do."

"You may now kiss."


	5. Oah

**Just so there is no confusion:**

Senior= last year of high school

Sophomore= second year of high school

Song: Oah, Alexander Rybak (he's hot)

* * *

"OAH" Alexander Rybak

Senior Heikir "Hiccup" Haddock was a nerd. A dorky _hot_ nerd. He was also very focused, and recently he had been focused on one thing; well one person really. That person was Jackson Overland, the prankster of the school. On the second day back from summer break he had somehow managed to freeze the hallways and classrooms so that everything was covered in a thin layer of frost. The prank had earned him the nickname Jack Frost. Most of the upperclassmen liked "Frost" and let him hang with them.

Hiccup hung around with a rather odd group of upperclassmen. There was Astrid -Hiccup's best friend- she was the toughest and the voice of reason in the group. There were the twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut (self nicknamed and yes you will get punched for using their real names) they were a year below the others and always fighting with each other. Finny or Fishlegs was the brain and the worry-wart. And then there was Sean. Sean "Snotlout" Jorgenson was Hiccup's cousin and the "tough guy." He pretends to not like the group but secretly he enjoys their company.

* * *

It was the third week back in school and Jack had quite the reputation already. It was lunch break and Hiccup's gang of friends were using their open campus lunch privilege (given to all students) to go grab something to eat that wasn't disgusting cafeteria food. Snotlout was strutting down the hallway walking past the sophomore lockers to get to the side door, seeing the messy locks of chocolate brown hair Snotlout veered off course to stand over the boy.

"Hey kid, wanna come to lunch with us?"

Jack looked up to see a much beefier boy with piggy blue eyes, it frightened him at first, but he soon recognized him. He was that kid who beat up Dagur for picking on Sandy for being trans. Snotlout wasn't a bad guy.

"I don't have any money." Jack was starting to regret that, today's menu was meatloaf.

"It's cool Hiccup's paying."

Hiccup? As in Hiccup Haddock the president of like _every_ worthwhile club here?

"Well as long as Hiccup won't mind."

"He won't, now c'mon." Snotlout said impatiently. Jack slammed his locker shut and followed Snotlout to Astrid's car.

As soon as Astrid was within earshot Snotlout started asking her questions. "Where's Hiccup?"

"He took the Nightfury, he'll meet us there. Now hurry up and get in."

Astrid had a huge, electric blue, pickup truck, which she had named Stormfly. Snotlout and Astrid rode in the two seat cab while Ruffnut, Tuffnut, and Jack piled into the bed of the truck. The ride over was slightly crazy. The twins were shoving each other so hard that Jack was afraid one of them would get pushed out. Astrid swerved when Snotlout had tried hitting on her and she had punched him. Jack's knuckles were white from gripping the edge by the time they stopped at the diner, _Gobber's Tavern._

A motorcycle pulled up as they were exiting the truck. Jack watched in amazement as, who he assumed to be Hiccup, causally hopped off the monstrous death machine. Pulling off his helmet and shaking out his hair.

"Where were you knuckle brain?" Astrid demanded.

"Took a short cut." Hiccup winked at her as he placed the helmet over the handlebars. "Who's this?" He questioned turning back around and gesturing at Jack.

"This is Frost, he's the kid who pulled the wicked prank with the ice." Ruffnut stated slinging an arm around him.

Hiccup nodded before ushering them all into the tavern. Jack found himself on a bar seat between Hiccup and Astrid in the Icelandic tavern eating a heitur hundur með öllu. Which was apparently a hot dog with everything on it.

"So Jack," Hiccup said, "how's sophomore year been treating ya?"

"It's different than freshman year."

"It gets worse." Snotlout grumbled off to the right of Astrid. Which earned him a smack to the back of the head.

"Don't listen to him Jack, he's just mad because his classes actually require him to do work this year." Astrid said.

Hiccup snorted but didn't say anything.

* * *

When the got out of the tavern Jack looked toward the truck wondering if Astrid would let him sit in the cab. "It's pretty scary riding back there huh?" A voice said in Jack's ear.

Jack flinched away from Hiccup. Embarrassed he rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh yeah sort of."

"Wanna ride with me? I'm a better driver." He stage whispered trying to make it so Astrid wouldn't hear.

"Ride with you? On that death machine?"

"I prefer Nightfury, but the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself works too." Jack's eyes widened as he started as the senior in horror but also in awe. "I'm kidding. You can ride in Stormfly if you want."

Jack looked over the twins were waving him over. Snotlout shut the cab door. "Uh I'll take the Nightfury." He said as the twins began to wrestle.

Riding on the back of the Nightfury was a lot different than riding in Stormfly. He was still hanging on for dear life, but he was hanging on to Hiccup's waist, which was a lot more comfortable than the side of the truck. And after a while he was hanging on more to sense which way Hiccup was leaning. Hiccup was after all a good driver, Jack almost felt like he was flying. He reached up and tilted his helmet forward more so he could see better. Hiccup pulled into a handicap space in front of the school. Jack was about to protest -what if someone _needed_ that space?- but then he saw the Blue Badge sticker on his gas tank. And as Hiccup swung off the seat his pant leg pulled up giving Jack a view of a metal prosthetic.

"Oh yeah, I don't really _need_ to park here, but we're running a bit late and there's only one other disabled person and that's their car." Hiccup began explaining himself gesturing at the car they had pulled up next to. "And my motorcycle's safer up here." He was still rambling. "Oh shit we're going to be late, let's go."

* * *

Every since then Hiccup had been enamored with Jack. He was nice to everyone not to mention pretty popular, and yet he didn't have too many people he seemed to be close with. Hiccup had seen him the most with a girl with colorful feathers in her hair (she was supposedly Jack's cousin or something). Jackson was interesting and really fun to be around; though Hiccup had been too shy to talk to him until recently, but Homecoming was coming up and Hiccup didn't intend to go alone.

Hiccup had a friggin' _plan_ it was totally goofy and romantic. He just hopped Jack would say yes.

* * *

 _Day of the "Plan"_

Hiccup was nervous as he walked up to Jack, standing a respectful foot away. He nodded at his friends. Astrid had a violin, Fishlegs was clutching his fiddle, Ruffnut and Tuffnut were going to clap along, and Snotlout was holding a camera (the camera was Astrid's idea). Hiccup took a deep breath before beginning to sing.

"Singing oah,"the twins started clapping, "I love you moah, you're way too young for me. But I don't mind." Jack turned around looking for the source of the music only to find Hiccup staring straight at him.

Astrid began playing as Hiccup got ready for the next lyric. Grinning like a dork now that he had Jack's attention. "Never mind what your best friends say, deep inside I'm quite okay. I may have fooled around once or twice, but I really need you." Hiccup's singing voice wasn't good, but it wasn't unpleasant either. "And it's not like I'm the only guy. I know how you make them cry. So let's start by being friends, and let this friendship never end. I knew you years ago, when I was? I don't know, but let's just say it's love."

Ruffnut and Tuffnut (who were admittedly better singers than Hiccup) joined said dork for the chorus. "Singing oah, I love you moah. You're way too young for me, but I don't mind. Don't say maybe just be my homecoming date? No need to hesitate; 'cause you'll be fine." Hiccup spoke the last part looking at Jack with big green eyes full of hope.

Jack smiled, nodded, and when he remembered how to form words he gave a breathless "yes." Jack had never understood the expression "smiling ear to ear" until he saw Hiccup's smile that day.


	6. Speech and Debate and Fake Boyfriends

**Speech and Debate and Fake Boyfriends**

Jack flopped down in one of the uncomfortable green, plastic chairs at his team's table. The noise in the front hall was deafening. The static background of shuffling of papers, overlaid with the clicking of high heels, talking, laughing, and shouting. To Jack the noise was home, a comfort. He loved the chaos of a speech meet; the constant activity, everyone rushing about, not to mention the camaraderie. Jack smiled leaning back.

"How did your round go, Frost?" A girl with brightly colored hair perched on the table in front of Jack. She leaned forward smiling at him.

"Hey, Tooth, I totally killed it. My judge was _rolling_ , like full on belling laughing at my piece. How was oratory?"

"My piece is still the most unique, and I think it's been a real edge at this meet."

"Well of course, only you would think to write about unfair beauty standards with a focus on teeth." Jack smiled good naturedly. Tooth's piece was like nothing he'd seen before, but it wasn't nearly as boring as it sounded.

"They bumped back D rounds again." Jamie, one of Jack's best friends, groaned as he pulled up a chair. "Congress is apparently taking for ever."

"When doesn't Congress?" Jack said rolling his eyes. "How much time are they giving it?"

"Twenty minutes!" Jamie punctuated his exclamation with a huffy breath.

"I'm going to go socialize then." Jack stood, scanning the other team's tables.

"Haven't you made friends with everyone yet?" Tooth asked.

"Not quite, I'm getting there." Jack joked back. "See you guys."

Jack took off for the Berk table. He had been trying to befriend one of their team members for _months._ For a speech kid he seemed almost shy; or maybe he just thought Jack was weird. The little Berkian had been in several of his humor rounds and he always managed to get a laugh out of Jack. He was utterly hilarious, his facial expression, his deadpan yet nasally voice, his wild shoulder shrugging, and hand waving made his pieces exceptionally funny. Jack had been drawn to him since the first time he had seen Haddock perform.

He dodged and weaved between people, keeping the distinctive auburn hair in sight. He ducked under a poetry kid's gesturing arm, slipped between a duo practicing, and walked right into someone.

His first thought was; 'Wow way to go, Jack!' He looked up at the person he had rudely crashed into -an apology on his tongue.

"Oh shit."

"Hello, Jack."

"Hey…Elsa."

Elsa was as beautiful as ever. Confident in her navy blue suit jacket and pencil skirt. He realised begrudgingly that her heels made her taller than him. Elsa held herself with confidence. She had her shoulders back and her back was ramrod straight. She gave off a very stiff air, one with which Jack was familiar.

She looked down her nose at him with something that might have been affection. "Jack, I'm glad we ran into each other. I wanted to let you know that I forgive you. I think we should get back together." Elsa never beat around the bush.

"I-I don't think that's a good idea, Elsa. We're just so different. I'd like to be friends again if you want though."

Elsa nodded like she knew that's what he was going to say. "I don't think we're as different as you think, Jack. I've missed you, I know you have to be lonely. Please consider it?"

She knew he was weak for a kind person in need: Elsa really hadn't been a bad girlfriend. Jack was quickly forgetting why they broke up in the first place. "Well I mean…"

She smiled at him and he could've sworn she could charm anyone into anything. Jack's resolve was slipping. He really shouldn't do this. But he had been lonely without her, maybe he actually should do this. He opened his mouth to tell her just that.

"I'm dating someone else."

That was not what he meant to say at all.

"You are?" The amount of surprise was kind of offensive.

"Yeah, uh, sorry. I met someone, and it's great, we're great." Jack had considered taking back his words, but that would have been embarrassing. The memories of dating Elsa came rushing back. She never wanted to go on adventures, she preferred to stay home. She always seemed disappointed in Jack, he was too immature for her or something. She was a great girl though. She was intelligent, beautiful, and confident in herself. But being with her was more lonely than not having a girlfriend at all. She had -without meaning to- kept Jack isolated and lonesome.

"Oh, uhm, cool then. Can I meet her?"

"No!" Jack scrambled to recover. "B-because it's a dude." Jack must have a serious case of Foot-In-Mouth syndrome because he was just digging this hole deeper.

Jack had thought about the possibility of being bisexual but he had never explored it fully. He figured that he didn't have to label himself and would just figure it out on a person by person basis. He didn't really think much of it. He had crushes on exclusively girls before so he knew that much. Recently he had felt like he could possibly be developing feelings for someone different, a boy someone. Jack decided that was fine with him. But he hadn't really thought it would come to fruition.

"Okay, well can I meet him then?"

"Absolutely, totally. Yeah of course. Let me just go get him!" Elsa's eyes narrowed she could tell Jack was bullshitting her. But she didn't say anything.

"Yep let me just.." Jack hurried off to find someone willing to be his fake boyfriend.

Jack almost accidentally tackled Haddock when he got to him. "Uh hi. Hello. Hey. I'm uh Jack, Jackson Overland. You're Haddock right?''

"Hikke Haddock, yes that's me. You're in humor right?" Haddock took a causal step back away from Jack, brushing off the front of his suit jacket.

"Yes, yes I am. Uh can you do me a really quick favor and pretend to be my boyfriend. I just told that chick," Jack pointed at the slowly advancing Elsa, "that I have a boyfriend and I don't, but there's no way she can know that." Haddock was looking at Jack like he was crazy. "Please my pride's at stake."

"Yeah sure." He said, and then louder, "Jack, I haven't seen you all meet, how are your rounds going?" Bless him. Haddock actually sounded happy to seem him, speech kids rocked.

"They're going great, cutie." Jack turned to Elsa as if he had just noticed her. "Oh hi Elsa, this is my boyfriend."

"Hello." Elsa smiled politely as she held out her hand for a handshake. "I'm Elsa. Jack and I used to date." Haddock nodded at her but didn't say anything more. "Jack aren't you going to introduce him to me?"

"Oh right. This is…" Jack was drawing a blank, he could only remember his fake boyfriend's last name. Something that started with an H. "Hiccup." Jack should probably see a doctor about his Foot-In-Mouth disorder.

"Hiccup?" Elsa asked incredulously.

"That's just Jack's silly nickname for me. My name is Hikke, but you can call me Hiccup too." Hikke quickly came to Jack's rescue.

"I think I will, it suits you."

Jack almost didn't notice Hikke wince at Elsa's statement. He pushed it aside for later. Right now he had to convince his ex that he was madly in love with "Hiccup." He'd worry about what the overexposure to his secret crush would do to him later. If he didn't scare him off too bad maybe he could even get closer to Haddock.

In the true nature of a speech kid, Hiccup was flawlessly navigating a conversation of small talk with a decidedly more flustered Elsa. Jack decided to take advantage of the fact that they were both distracted to check out his crush up close. Hiccup was shorter than Jack by a noticeable few inches, he wasn't short per say. Mainly Hiccup was lanky, his bony appearance made him look taller. Jack hadn't ever been this close to him. He was always admiring him from afar; from the back of the performance room, across a crowded hall, or an even more crowded entryway. Jack casually placed an arm around Hiccup's waist. Elsa seemed to become more flustered at the PDA, she made a weak excuse and left the conversation.

"Thank you so much. Seriously, how can I ever repay you?"

"You can start by letting go of me."

"Right sorry!" Jack stepped away from Hiccup taking his arm with him. "I just have to thank you again. I was seriously freaking."

"It's not a big deal. But, how long do you want to keep this up? I mean we still have a long season to go."

"Elsa's not really a people person. She probably won't bother you or me for that matter. As long as we hang out sometimes at meets she won't get suspicious."

Hiccup crossed his arms. "And if I don't want to fake date you that long?"

"O-oh uhm, well then…I guess we can stage a dramatic break up?"

Hiccup smiled good naturedly. "I was kidding. But we should have super dramatic break up. Give these people a show and the drama they're so desperate for."

Jack had to laugh at that. "Totally. Maybe like a couple meets before state? When tensions are high?"

"Absolutely, now if you'll excuse me my round is on the other side of the school and I see grumpy kids with briefcases."

 **I wrote this like freshman year or something, but it has potential. If you want more of this speech and debate AU let me know.**


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